Is your dog eating cicadas? Is that safe? Noisy 17-year brood invades Cincinnati. See the map

• Cicadas are generally safe for dogs to eat, but overconsumption can cause digestive issues that require treatment from a veterinarian.
• Symptoms of cicada overconsumption include upset stomach, vomiting, and diarrhea.
• Brood XIV cicadas are emerging in Cincinnati, several Southwest Ohio counties, and many states in the Eastern U.S.

(This story was updated to add new information.)

Does your dog enjoy the occasional sky raisin as cicadas and their nymph shells cover Cincinnati and southern Ohio? Do you fight to keep them away from the spicy sky raisins?

With the current invasion of 17-year cicadas in Cincinnati and Southwest Ohio, should you worry about your pet eating the … wait, what type of “raisin” is a cicada? Well, according to Persnickety Pet, cicadas could be called “screaming sky grapes.” Seems appropriate given cicadas’ size and the noise they generate.

Anyhow, grapes (the fruit) are highly toxic to dogs, according to WebMD. What about the screaming sky grapes? Will they harm your pet if consumed?

The answer is, it depends. Here’s what to know.

What animals eat cicadas? Are cicadas harmful to dogs? Why you need to watch your dog

Any animal that can eat insects will eat cicadas, according to the Purdue University Extension. That list includes fish, bears, birds, raccoons and even other insects, like parasitic wasps.

They’re also safe for your dog to eat, but only to a point.

According to the American Kennel Club, a dog that eats the occasional cicada should be fine. However, dogs that gorge on cicadas will find their exoskeletons difficult to digest, resulting in an upset stomach, abdominal pain, vomiting and bloody diarrhea. Some dogs that overconsume cicadas may require a trip to the vet for IV fluids or pain and anti-nausea medications.

My dog is eating cicadas. What do I do?

Pets should be monitored closely when outside during the cicada emergence, and possibly for some time beyond because adult cicadas will leave edible exoskeletons all over the ground.

The use of “leave it” or “drop it” commands can help, according to Guide Dogs for the Blind, which bills itself as the largest guide dog school in the U.S. It has campuses in California and Oregon.

Other tips included periodic raking of yards to remove exoskeletons, walking dogs on leashes to keep them clear of trees and shrubs, and taking treats on walks as an alternative to snacking on cicadas.

Warning signs that a dog may be seriously ill from eating too many “land shrimp” include lethargy, loss of appetite, vomiting and bloody diarrhea, says the online guide. Dog owners whose pets experience those symptoms should seek immediate help from a veterinarian.

17-year cicadas coming out in Ohio in 2025. Do cicadas only come out every 17 years?

After 17 years underground, Brood XIV is emerging, and it will bring millions if not billions of the noisy insects to Southwest Ohio and a dozen other states this spring.

Brood XIV is one of 15 recognized broods of periodical cicadas that emerge every 13 or 17 years, and one of four that appear in the Buckeye State, according to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources. They emerge when the soil temperature reaches 64 degrees, which typically happens in the second half of May.

Annual cicadas emerge worldwide each year, but periodical cicadas are found only in eastern North America. They live underground as nymphs for either 13 or 17 years before emerging above ground in massive numbers. Different populations of periodical cicadas are called “broods” and are numbered with Roman numerals. 

Where in Ohio will Brood XIV cicadas emerge? See the map

Brood XIV cicadas will stretch from northern Georgia to Massachusetts. In Ohio, they will emerge in a more than dozen counties, per ODNR, mostly in Southwest Ohio:

• Adams
• Brown
• Butler
• Champaign
• Clermont
• Clinton
• Gallia
• Greene
• Hamilton
• Highland
• Jackson
• Lawrence
• Pike
• Ross
• Scioto
• Warren
• Washington

Some of the edge counties will not see as heavy an emergence as others.

How long will the cicadas be here in 2025?

They are active for three to four weeks as they focus on mating and reproduction, per ODNR. Male periodical cicadas produce a deafening chorus of calls to attract females. Once mated, female cicadas deposit their eggs into the branches of trees and shrubs.

Which states are expecting cicadas in 2025? Ohio, Kentucky among several seeing them

States expecting cicadas this year include Georgia, Kentucky, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia and West Virginia, Dr. Gene Kritsky with Mount St. Joseph University in Cincinnati and founder of Cicada Safari, a group that tracks the emergence of cicadas based on user submissions, told USA TODAY.

Kentucky and Tennessee probably will get the most cicadas this year, said John Cooley, an ecology and biology associate professor in residence at the University of Connecticut. There will also be large numbers in Georgia, the Carolinas and Pennsylvania, he said. 

What’s the difference between periodical vs. annual cicadas?

The cicadas that emerge every 13 or 17 years are different from the ones seen every summer, and it’s not just the amount of time.

Kritsky told WKRN in Nashville that periodical cicadas emerge in May or June, while annual cicadas show up later, in late June and July, and through the rest of summer.

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